When the National Socialists’ Party took power in Germany in early 1930s, many German church leaders approved. In fact, a movement called the German Christians worked to meld Christianity with the National Socialists’ ethical code in order to unify all German churches into one Reich church system. This Reich church would emphasize the revival of German folk traditions, which served to evoke feelings of loyalty from the congregation members, a healthy respect for temporal authority to ensure obedience of the church for the Nazi Regime, and a de-emphasizing of the Old Testament, in order to distance the church from its Jewish roots. In 1933, 80% of church officials in Germany were from Hitler’s German Evangelical Church, the name chosen by the German Christians for their organization.
This Nazi version of Christianity did not sit well with many Germans who had dedicated their lives to serving God. A pastor named Martin Niemöller founded the Pastor’s Emergency League as a means to support clergy of Jewish heritage who were being forcibly removed from their positions in the church.
This Nazi version of Christianity did not sit well with many Germans who had dedicated their lives to serving God. A pastor named Martin Niemöller founded the Pastor’s Emergency League as a means to support clergy of Jewish heritage who were being forcibly removed from their positions in the church.
As the Nazi Party continued to increase its grip on the German Church, it held German Evangelical Church Rallies. These rallies drew huge crowds. During these rallies, the German Evangelical Church established a theological code that included the total removal of the Old Testament from the Bible, the removal of any anti-Nazi pastors from the church, and a revisioning of Jesus Christ into a more Aryan figure.
In May 1934, Martin Niemöller and other members of the Pastor’s Emergency League officially denounced the German Evangelical Church, stating that it was heretical. A pastor named Karl Barth wrote a document called the Barmen Declaration, which stated that State control over the Church went against basic Christian doctrine.
The Christian leaders against the Nazi-led church took the name of the Confessing Church. They openly denounced the German Evangelical Church, but as the members were forbidden to preach, they also began holding underground services and even ran an underground seminary for those who wished to go into the field of Church leadership, but did not agree with the Nazi Church organization. One of the teachers at this underground seminary was a young man named Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The Christian leaders against the Nazi-led church took the name of the Confessing Church. They openly denounced the German Evangelical Church, but as the members were forbidden to preach, they also began holding underground services and even ran an underground seminary for those who wished to go into the field of Church leadership, but did not agree with the Nazi Church organization. One of the teachers at this underground seminary was a young man named Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of eight children born to a neurologist and psychiatrist, Karl Bonhoeffer. He was born on February 4, 1906. Dietrich Bonhoeffer decided at a young age that he wanted to study theology, even though it displeased his parents, who had hoped he would pursue a more intellectual career. Bonhoeffer earned his doctorate in theology in 1927. Bonhoeffer then traveled to America to undertake a course of post doctorate study. While in America, he became very involved in the African American church, stating that “Here can one truly speak and hear about sin and grace and the love of God.” Bonhoeffer heard from his friends about the tumultuous state of German politics while he was away, and about the rising star of the National Socialist Party, Adolph Hitler. Bonhoeffer could have stayed in America, where politics were stable and life was more certain, but he chose to move back to his homeland.
Once back in Germany, Bonhoeffer was featured on a radio program two days after Adolph Hitler had become chancellor. In this radio address, he warned the German People that fanatical following of a Führer, or leader, can lead to enslavement by a Verführer, or Misleader. This speech was so controversial that Bonhoeffer was taken off air before he was even finished speaking. He was banned from preaching in Germany. Bonhoeffer was given the opportunity to move to India to study with Mahatma Gandhi, but he turned it down to stay in Germany and begin his underground seminary. A wealthy woman named Ruth von Kleist-Retzow funded the seminary, and Bonhoeffer fell in love with her niece, Maria von Wedemeyer, and became engaged to her in 1943.
Once back in Germany, Bonhoeffer was featured on a radio program two days after Adolph Hitler had become chancellor. In this radio address, he warned the German People that fanatical following of a Führer, or leader, can lead to enslavement by a Verführer, or Misleader. This speech was so controversial that Bonhoeffer was taken off air before he was even finished speaking. He was banned from preaching in Germany. Bonhoeffer was given the opportunity to move to India to study with Mahatma Gandhi, but he turned it down to stay in Germany and begin his underground seminary. A wealthy woman named Ruth von Kleist-Retzow funded the seminary, and Bonhoeffer fell in love with her niece, Maria von Wedemeyer, and became engaged to her in 1943.
In 1939, Bonhoeffer once again traveled to the United States under the auspices of attending a theological seminary in New York, but in reality he was attempting to avoid military service to the Nazi Regime. His conscience could not allow him to stay away from Germany for long. He explained his reasoning in a letter to fellow German theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, “I have made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the Christian people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people.”
Eventually, the Nazi government became tired of Bonhoeffer’s unflagging opposition to their unethical and immoral acts, and had him arrested. He was first placed in Tegel Prison on April 5, 1943. Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for two years. During this time, he wrote out his theological beliefs, such as his view on the nature of God,
“God lets himself be pushed out of the world on to the cross, He is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which he is with us and helps us. [The Bible] … makes quite clear that Christ helps us, not by virtue of his omnipotence, but by virtue of his weakness and suffering. … The Bible directs man to God's powerlessness and suffering; only the suffering God can help.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer survived two years in the Buchenwald concentration camp, only to be executed one month before Germany surrendered to the allies. He was hanged on April 9, 1945.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was not the only member of his family to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve freedom of religion and freedom of speech. His brother, Klaus Bonhoeffer, was executed for an assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler’s life and two of his sisters’ husbands were also executed by the Nazis.
Eventually, the Nazi government became tired of Bonhoeffer’s unflagging opposition to their unethical and immoral acts, and had him arrested. He was first placed in Tegel Prison on April 5, 1943. Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for two years. During this time, he wrote out his theological beliefs, such as his view on the nature of God,
“God lets himself be pushed out of the world on to the cross, He is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which he is with us and helps us. [The Bible] … makes quite clear that Christ helps us, not by virtue of his omnipotence, but by virtue of his weakness and suffering. … The Bible directs man to God's powerlessness and suffering; only the suffering God can help.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer survived two years in the Buchenwald concentration camp, only to be executed one month before Germany surrendered to the allies. He was hanged on April 9, 1945.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was not the only member of his family to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve freedom of religion and freedom of speech. His brother, Klaus Bonhoeffer, was executed for an assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler’s life and two of his sisters’ husbands were also executed by the Nazis.
Can you imagine losing so many family members through such a tragedy? If you had a sibling who wanted to act as Dietrich Bonhoeffer did in a similar situation, would you encourage them or would you try to keep them safe? Without people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and without sacrifices like the ones that he made, the world might lack a moral compass today.